Chat rewind: famed NW climber Jim Whittaker

Mountaineer Jim Whittaker chatted with Seattle Times readers about becoming the first American to summit Mount Everest and how the Northwest climbing scene has evolved in the five decades since.

Whittaker’s Mount Everest climb launched the West Seattle native down a path toward national fame and status as a Northwest icon. The landmark expedition also cemented Seattle’s role as the heartland of America’s big-peak climbing community.